General Description: This card can execute an attack of 120 with only one water energy. Now you're interested, aren't you? I personally like this card as it goes with my most competitive deck. On top of this, you have this nifty ability: [Ability - Diving Draw] Once during your turn (before your attack), you may discard a card from your hand. If you do, draw 2 cards. This is spectacular- increase the size of your hand AND have the possibility to find more Pokemon to call- resulting in higher attack power (If it is your active Pokemon). As long as it is on your field- you can continuously regulate the cards in your hand.

Uses: In my opinion, this card is used to search for more cards. Instead of going to the 'Discard Pile' after use, it stays for another turn! Unlike Cheren-

Strategies and game play: You can use this card as a 'Powerhouse' or for card gathering. This technically gives you the chance to draw an extra card though after discarding one first. This card also goes well with decks that use the Discard Pile a lot.

Combos with other cards: I have created a combo with my own personal deck which uses the ability of another Pokemon.
-Firstly, using Empoleon's ability, discard one lightning energy.
-Next, using Elektrik's ability, add that lightning energy to a benched pokemon.
You can attach two energy cards per turn if you do this. This is just one example, but many more can be created with the discard effect of Empoleon's effect.

Ways to counteract it: Apart from the obvious, (Weakness of Electricity X2) using cards in your deck that force your opponent to draw more cards to destroy their deck. This can cause them to lose as they are unable to draw any more cards on their draw phase. Using Hoothoot's Dual Draw adds cards to their hands which is risky as they have more resources to us on their next turn. So I recommend using a few Durants. Depending on how many you have in play, you can discard cards from their deck straight to the Discard Pile.

Weaknesses/Cons:
-Have to discard cards to draw more
-It's attack is slightly conditional. It needs a few pokemon on the field to deal major damage.

Variations: Part of The Dark Explorers and Plasma Freeze expansion. Primarily Rare Holo in the Dark Explorers and Ultra Rare-Rare in the Plasma Freeze expansion. The artwork was changed when re-printed into the English expansion.

Artwork and aesthetics: Impressive artwork with the origins of the Sinnoh Region behind which I suppose can be related to the Pokemon itself but apart from that, it represents the strength of the Pokemon. In my opinion, the card art has a better art than the Japanese version.

Overall rating: Empoleon seems to be an overpowering card but if prepared for, opponents can use it's ability against itself forcing the opponent to try and adopt another strategy. But there are more positives than negative especially with the above average HP. Overall, I give this card a 9/10.

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